The AI Strikes Back!!

Resident Alien 2 · #1 January 27th, 2002, 05:42 AM

There I am, minding my own business: glassing weaker race planets, grinding my way up the score table after a slowish start towards number one and.....

What's that! oh oh! it's 40 Aquilaen Dreadnaughts in one of my systems.

No AI mistakes this time: straight in attack, crush the defending fleet and platforms, invade and conquer. Two planets in two moves taken. I am shocked

First time I have ever been crushed and driven out of a system by the AI. This used to be a quiet front (or so I thought), but now I have a massive fleet lurking near a lot of my heavily colonized systems.

Currently rushing fleets to the action and looking to create some minefields for the next systems in line.

This should be interesting because the Aquilaen tech levels are quite a bit higher, and I don't have any DN's and only 11 Battleships scattered over the map.

Go AI!!!!

(1.49 TDM Mod + Mounts Mod, maxed out AI level and bonuses for eight of the best custom races.)

dogscoff · #2 January 27th, 2002, 10:35 AM

Yeah, happened to me a while back against the vikings. They took about 5 of my systems before I could cut myself off using stellar manipulation and regroup. Now, over 100 turns later, I'm only just starting to open warp points and counter- attack, but their ships are way ahead of mine.

It's cool, isn't it, when the AI actually surprises you like that? I'm determined to actually finish this game, since it's so good, and this is the furthest I've ever played.

Also, I've noticed some monolith IIIs on their planets, that means they have stellar manipulation... how long until they start opening wps into *my* systems?

[ 27 January 2002: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

Rollo · #3 January 27th, 2002, 12:38 PM

Hehe, always good to hear such stories

. And don't forget you are playing 1.49. In the Gold Version the AI is even better.

Rollo

Rollo · #4 January 27th, 2002, 12:40 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dogscoff:
...Also, I've noticed some monolith IIIs on their planets, that means they have stellar manipulation... how long until they start opening wps into *my* systems?

[ 27 January 2002: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

Hey dogscoff,
please let me know if they do that. Seen it only a couple of times in tests.

Rollo

dogscoff · #5 January 27th, 2002, 12:49 PM

Okay, but if I have my way they won't get the chance=-) I plan to cripple their production and hopefully they won't have the resources to maintain a SM fleet.

They have been isolated (on and off) for a while now so I imagine they are probably trying to build one. They ought to have the resources as well (for now at least) - their empire is about the same size as mine and I have 3 SM ships. I can only survive by converting loads of organics to minerals every turn, but the AI bonus is on, so they should be able to do it.

I also suspect that they have been building planets. If you like I can find out for sure, because there is a system that used to be full of rocks in their territory - I'll peek in next chance I get and see what it looks like now.

This is the best vsAI game I've ever had, and I've still only explored 1/3 of the galaxy and met 3 other races...

dogscoff · #6 January 27th, 2002, 12:56 PM

Sorry, jumping OT for a second:

BTW Rollo, I'm going to update my site this afternoon. I was thinking of putting up Vikings 0.99 - the latest 1.49 AI files with the Gold Version images - for those ppl who haven't ordered SE4 Gold (the fools).

What do you think?

The only problem is that I still have a few more images to do, so this won't be the definitive non-Gold vikings release - but there's no more numbers between 0.99 and 1.00 - D'oh!

Resident Alien 2 · #7 January 27th, 2002, 03:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dogscoff:
Sorry, jumping OT for a second:
The only problem is that I still have a few more images to do, so this won't be the definitive non-Gold vikings release - but there's no more numbers between 0.99 and 1.00 - D'oh!

How about 0.99.01

Resident Alien 2 · #8 January 27th, 2002, 03:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dogscoff:
Yeah, happened to me a while back against the vikings. They took about 5 of my systems before I could cut myself off using stellar manipulation and regroup. Now, over 100 turns later, I'm only just starting to open warp points and counter- attack, but their ships are way ahead of mine.

It's cool, isn't it, when the AI actually surprises you like that? I'm determined to actually finish this game, since it's so good, and this is the furthest I've ever played.

Also, I've noticed some monolith IIIs on their planets, that means they have stellar manipulation... how long until they start opening wps into *my* systems?

[ 27 January 2002: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

The Rage AI has been building planets - I had a ship in the system so I got the message. If the AI started creating warp points .... be afraid, be very afraid

dogscoff · #9 January 27th, 2002, 03:08 PM

or just V0.999, but then it starts getting silly. I think I'll release this one, and then when all the images are finished release a final Version and just call it something like "Space Vikings Classic (Definitive download)". Since there will be no more updates to SE4 Classic (ie non-Gold), there will be no more updates to the "Classic" vikings once the images are finished.

Or maybe, just to be sure, I should call it
"Space Vikings Classic V1.00", and have
"Space Vikings Gold V1.00" as a seperate entity.
After all, all releases so far have been branded
"Space Vikings (Pre CD release) V0.XX"

Or maybe I should just sit back and appreciate the fact that I have nothing more important to worry about than this...

Master Belisarius · #10 January 27th, 2002, 03:12 PM

As Rollo said, always is good to know this kind of histories.

Resident Alien 2: are you using High Bonus for the AI? This could be the reason for the big ships for the Aquilaeian.

Dogscoff: sorry man, but I think that use Warp Closers/Openers against the AI, is near to cheat. Because the AI have not clue that need to use a Warp Opener, to continue the attack against you.

Rollo: I agree with you, the Gold AI is really better.